Press Releases

BBC Drama Production presents Desperate Romantics for BBC Two

BBC Drama today announces that Desperate Romantics, a 6 x 60-minute drama, has been commissioned from BBC Drama Production for BBC
Two for transmission in 2009/10.

Set in and among the alleys, galleries and flesh-houses of 19th-century industrial London, Desperate Romantics follows the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a vagabond group of English painters, poets and critics.

A relationship drama from the
perspective of this iconoclastic group of dysfunctional male
romantics, the series follows their lives and relationships as
they shamelessly scheme and strive to find fame, fortune and
success, as well as love and quite a bit of sex along the way.

Desperate Romantics is written by Peter Bowker, whose credits
include Blackpool, The Canterbury Tales (The Miller's Tale) and
ShakespeaRe-Told (A Midsummer Night's Dream).

This colourful and rude gang drama from BBC Drama Production will
be executive-produced by Kate Harwood, Controller, Series and
Serials, BBC Drama Production.

Joint executive producer is Franny Moyle, whose factual
book of the same name will be published this year.

The series is
being produced by Ben Evans (Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!, Fear
Of Fanny, Curse Of Comedy).

Kate Harwood says: "Basically, it's Entourage with easels. Desperate Romantics
paints a modern, vivid and irreverent portrait of this group of
painters whose attitude to the establishment makes them
comparable to the punks a hundred years later.

"I'm delighted that BBC
Drama Production continues to surprise with our diverse dramas,
ranging from the recent BBC Two hit House Of Saddam to forthcoming
productions including A Short Stay In Switzerland starring Julie
Walters."

Desperate Romantics will film in London from early 2009, and
casting and further production appointments will be announced
shortly.

This year has been successful for BBC Drama Production
with highlights including the Curse Of Comedy season on BBC Four,
giving the channel its highest viewing figure for The Curse Of
Steptoe.

The critically acclaimed Criminal Justice starring Ben
Whishaw proved to be a huge hit with BBC One viewers, and last
week House Of Saddam debuted to a healthy 2.9 million BBC Two viewers and
rave reviews.

Autumn 2008 sees a bonanza of new productions,
including Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Little Dorrit, Survivors and
the return of Silent Witness.

BBC Two drama viewers, who recently enjoyed Burn Up, will welcome
the return of Heroes later this year, as well as a raft of
diverse productions, including Einstein And Eddington starring
David Tennant and Andy Serkis; Margaret starring Lindsay Duncan;
My Zinc Bed starring Uma Thurman and Jonathan Pryce; and A Number
starring Tom Wilkinson and Rhys Ifans.